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World Contraception Day

September 21, 2018 • Veronica Kimani

World Contraception Day takes place on the 26th of September every year. This is a day dedicated to increasing the global awareness of contraceptives and prioritising the distribution and accessibility of well updated information regarding sexual and reproductive health.

On this day, numerous governmental bodies including our very own Kenyan government, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) including USAID, scientific and medical societies who share sexual and reproductive health interests support and celebrate this campaign which targets all members of our communities of reproductive age regardless of class, age, religion and gender.

On this blog post, we discuss what World Contraception Day is in alignment to this year’s theme as shared by the Ministry of Health, ‘It’s Your Life, It’s Your Future’ sharing contraceptives available to you at your doorstep through KASHA’s e-commerce platform.

Why are Women Central to this Conversation?

World Contraception Day seeks to advance the idea that every pregnancy should be intentional and prepared for both for the health interests of the mother and the child. Although it’s important for men and women to make equally well informed choices pertaining family planning, a focus on women is essential to ensuring the wellbeing and autonomy of women and by extension supporting the global health and development of communities. By allowing women to choose whether, when and how many children to have helps to end poverty cycles and helps in progressing sustainable and thriving development goals.

As further noted by the World Health Organisation, more and more women face chronic medical conditions such as high blood pressure as well as pre-existing medical conditions and pregnancy unplanned can pose high risks to their lives due to the use of drugs that may be harmful to both mother and child. A medically informed decision on which contraceptive is best for you is therefore important for couples and in the interest of family planning, the best step to ensuring a safe and well cared for pregnancy journey. For some, contraceptives are central in dismantling the commonly perceived notion that having a child is the measure of womanhood.

How does Contraception Help?

In the case of learning to live your best life while managing a chronic condition, contraceptives provide women with time to optimise their health and if need be, adapt a lifestyle which is friendly to medications which are supportive of pregnancy. This ensures that women who are living with chronic conditions can similarly share the joys of pregnancy. Contraceptives are helpful in allowing women to put their wellness in the centre and pursue a lifestyle that is most conducive for experiencing pregnancy with the well-being of their future child and community in mind. This could mean having the time to build a dependable support network and a stable income that can cater to the needs of bringing a new life to the world. Ultimately, contraceptives help in more than family planning. They encourage choice and support the autonomy of women in their sexual lives, sexual health.

When Should You Discuss Contraception?

Conversations on contraceptives should be regular in medical spaces, political spaces and our homes especially between young adults and couples. As shared by the Global Fund for Women, It is estimated that 214 million women from all backgrounds in the world want but are unable to access contraceptives. Of this, WHO notes that 47.8% of women in unions and of reproductive age in African countries still lack access to contraceptives.

In the case of understanding how contraceptives can be used while living with a medical condition, this discussion should be frequent and include both a maternity care provider and an obstetric medicine physician when discussing family planning. In the example that a doctor advices a woman to wait before conceiving, a trained obstetric physician can provide appropriate support and recommendations on the best contraceptive option. Discussions on contraceptives are also important following childbirth, during the postpartum period. This is often a period of newness for most women and receiving support on contraceptive options can be just the support the woman needs especially from a well informed health facilitator.

To kickstart this conversation, we at Kasha have organised a Health Talk on the 26th of September facilitated by Dr Alfred Murage a Consultant Gynaecologist and Fertility Specialist whose topics of discussion will include the importance of celebrating World Contraception Day, the different options available for women as well as men’s role in family planning.

To celebrate World Contraception Week we are offering 10% OFF all Sexual Health Products. Use Coupon Code wcd18 at check out to claim your discount, Shop for Contraceptives Conveniently and Confidentiality by Clicking here

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